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〃She'll be killed！ She'll be killed！〃 he cried； all the color suddenly
leaving his face。
All at once he drove the rowels of his spurs against the sides of his
mount。 The animal sprang away straight toward the oning herd； but
Phil had to fight every inch of the way to keep the horse from turning
about and rushing back； away from the peril that lay before it。
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The lad feared he would not be able to reach Dimples in time； but with
frequent prods of spur and crop； uttering little encouraging shouts to the
frightened horse； he dashed on； dodging fleeing showmen and runaway
horses at almost every jump。
He forged up beside the girl at a terrific pace。 But； now that he was
there； the lad did not dare dismount； knowing that were he to do so； his
horse would quickly break away from him； thus leaving them both to be
crushed under the feet of the ponderous beasts。
It was plain to Phil that Jupiter must have gone suddenly bad； and；
starting on a stampede； had carried the other bulls with him。 And he even
found himself wondering if anything had happened to his friend Kennedy；
the elephant trainer。 If Kennedy were on his feet he would be after them。
As it was； no one appeared to be chasing the runaway beasts。
Phil leaned far from the saddle grasping the woman by her flimsy
clothing。 It gave way just as he had begun to lift her； intending to pull
her up beside him on the horse's back。
Twice he essayed the feat； each time with the same result。 The bay was
dancing further away each time； and the elephants were getting nearer。
The uproar was deafening； which； with the trumpetings of the frightened
elephants； made the stoutest hearts quail。
With a grim determination Forrest once more charged alongside of
Dimples。 As he did so she opened her eyes； though Phil did not observe
this； else he might have acted differently。
As it was he threw himself from the bay while that animal was still on
the jump。 Keeping tight hold of the saddle pommel； the reins bunched in
the hand that grasped it； Phil dropped down。 When he came up； Dimples
was on his arm。
He then saw that she was herself again。
〃Can you hold on if I get you up？〃
〃Yes。 You're a good boy。〃
Phil made no reply； but； with a supreme effort； threw the girl into the
saddle。 To do so he was obliged to let go the pommel and the reins for
one brief instant。 But he succeeded in throwing Dimples up to the saddle
safely； where she quickly secured herself。
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The bay was off like a shot； leaving Phil directly in front of the
oning elephants。
〃Run！ I'll e back and get you；〃 shouted Dimples over her
shoulder。
〃You can't。 The reins are over the bay's head；〃 he answered。
She was powerless to help。 Dimples realized this at once。 She was in
no danger herself。 She was such a skillful rider that it made little
difference whether the reins were in her hand or on the ground； so far as
maintaining her seat was concerned。 With Phil； however； it was different。
〃I guess I might as well stand still and take it；〃 muttered the lad grimly。
He turned； facing the mad herd； a slender but heroic figure in that
moment of peril。
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CHAPTER XV
EMPEROR TO THE RESCUE
〃Get back！〃 shouted the boy。
He had descried Teddy Tucker driving his own mount toward him。
Teddy was ing to the rescue in the face of almost certain death。
〃You can't make it！ Go back！〃
Whether or not Teddy heard and understood； did not matter； for at that
moment the view of the plucky lad was shut off by the elephants forming
their charging line into crescent shape。
〃Emperor！〃 he called in a shrill penetrating voice。 But in the dust of
the charge he could not make out which one was Emperor； yet he
continued calling lustily。
〃Emperor！〃
Phil threw his hands above his head as was his wont when desirous of
having the old elephant pick him up。
Right across the center of the crescent careened a great hulking figure；
uttering loud trumpetingstrumpetings that were taken up by his
panions until the very ground seemed to shake。
Phil's back was half toward the big elephant； and in the noise he did
not distinguish a familiar note in the call。
All at once he felt himself violently jerked from the ground。 The lad
was certain that his time had e。 But out of that cloud of dust； in
which those who looked； believed that the little Circus Boy had gone
down to his death； Phil Forrest rose right up into the air and was dropped
unharmed to the back of old Emperor。
For the moment he was so dizzy that he was unable to make up his
mind what had happened or where he was。 Then it all came to him。 He
was on Emperor's back。
〃Hurrah！〃 shouted Phil。 〃Good old Emperor！ Steady； steady；
Emperor！ That's a good fellow。〃
He patted the beast's head with the flat of his hand； crooned to him；
using every artifice that he knew to quiet the nerves of his big friend。
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Little by little Emperor appeared to e out of his fright； until the lad
felt almost certain that the big beast would take orders。 He tried the
experiment。
〃Left； Emperor！〃
The elephant swerved sharply to the left； aided by a sharp tap of the
riding crop which Phil still carried。
Phil uttered a little cry of exultation。
〃Now； if I can head them off！〃
With this in mind he gradually worked Emperor around until the herd
had been led into a narrow street。 Here； Phil began forcing his mount
back and forth across the street in an effort to check the rush of the
stampede； all the time calling out the mand to slow down； which he
had learned from Mr。 Kennedy。
He was more successful than he had even dreamed he could be。
〃Now； if I am not mistaken； that street beyond there leads out to the lot。
I'll see if I can make them go that way。〃
All did save Jupiter； who charged straight ahead for some distance；
then turning sharply tore back and joined his fellows。
〃If I had a hook I believe I could lead him。 He's a very bad elephant。
I hope nobody has been killed。〃
It was more quiet in the street where Forrest now found himself； and
by degrees the excitement that had taken possession of the huge beasts
began to wear off。
Phil uttered his mands to them in short； confident tones； all the
time drawing nearer and nearer to the circus lot。
Very soon the fluttering flags from the big top were seen above the
intervening housetops。
〃I'm going to winoh； I hope I do！〃 breathed the Circus Boy。
With rapid strides； at times merging into a full run； the beasts tore
along； now understanding that they were nearing their quarters； where
safety and quiet would be assured。
And； beyond that； it was time for their dinners。 Already bales of hay
had been placed in front of their quarters； and the elephants knew it。
As the procession burst into the circus lot a dozen attendants started on
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a run toward them。
〃Keep off！〃 shouted Phil。 〃Do you want to stampede them again？
Keep away； I tell you and I'll get them home。 Drive all the people out of
the way in case the bulls make another break。 That's all you can do now。〃
Now young Forrest urged Emperor to the head of the line of bobbing
beasts； feeling sure that the others would follow him in now。
They did。 The whole line of elephants swept in through the opening
that the attendants had quickly made by letting down a section of the side
walls of the menagerie tent； with Phil Forrest a proud and happy boy；
perched on the head of old Emperor。
〃Halt！〃
He went at it with all the confidence and skill of a professional
elephant trainer。
〃Stations！〃
Each beast walked to his regular place； a dozen sinuous trunks
gathering up as many wisps of hay。
〃Back up！ Back； Jupiter！〃
As docile as if they never had left the tent； each huge beast slowly felt
his way into his corner。
〃Good boy； Emperor！〃 glowed Phil holding out a small bag of peanuts；
which Emperor quickly stowed away in his mouth bag and all。
〃You greedy fellow！ Now get back into your own corner！〃
The elephant did so。
〃You fellows keep away from here；〃 warned Phil as the anxious tent
men began crowding around him。 〃Don't let anybody get these big
fellows excited。 We've had trouble enough for one day。〃
Phil then began chaining down the beasts； his first care being to secure
the unruly Jupiter。 But Jupiter's fit of bad temper seemed to have left him
entirely。 He was as peaceful as could be； and； to show that he was good；
he showered a lot of hay all over Phil。
〃You bad； bad boy！〃 chided the lad。 〃All this is just because you let
your temper get the best of you。 I think perhaps Mr。 Sparling may have
something to say to you if anyone has been killed or seriously hurt。 Oh；
you want some peanuts； do you？ I haven't any； but I'll get you some；
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though goodness knows you don't deserve any。 Bring me some peanuts；
will you please？〃
An attendant came running with a bag of them。 Phil met him
halfway； not wishing the man to approach too near。 With the bag in his
hand the boy walked slowly down the line； giving to each of his charges a
small handful。
This was the final act in subduing them。 They were all thoroughly at
home and perfectly contented now； and Phil had chained the last one down；
except the baby elephant； that usually was left free to do as it pleased；
providing it did not get too playful。
At this moment Phil heard a great shouting out on the lot。
〃Go out there and stop that noise！〃 the boy manded。 He was as
much in charge o